The 1300 Coupe will be returning to the city and land of it's birth in June this year. My son Jack is living in Trento for six months, so this seemed the ideal opportunity. Judging by the annual mileage over the years evidenced by the MOT certificates this is most likely it's first trip home;

12th June: sail Hull to Zeebrugge.13th June: drive to Swaibische Halle, Southern Germany14th June: drive to Trento via Austria and the St. Bernhard pass.17th June: drive to Turin staying in the Lingotto Tech Hotel (part of the former Fiat factory).19th June: drive to Dijon via the Alps (not sure which pass this takes us through. Is it where Vincenzo tested his cars?)20th June: drive to Brussels.21st June: drive to Zeebrugge and sail home to Yorkshire.

My plan is to update this thread with the preparation then our progress if we can get onto the internet.

Excellent stuff. I do like the Hull/Zeebrugge crossing, as it shortens driving time quite substantially. Not cheap, though and the onboard meals are rather pricey as well.

£305 return, but cuts 600 miles off the drive, so 2 tanks of petrol or thick end of £100. Then you save at least 1 nights accommodation, so I don't think it's far off breaking even.

Yes, and it's a much more relaxed and civilised way of doing it, especially if you live in easy distance of Hull (as we do). My experience is based on doing it in the van, and P&O really get their pound of flesh if you have a van. It was substantially more than the price you quoted just for one way. What really peeves me is that many modern 4x4s or MPVs are at least as big as my van, and they pay a lot less.

But for the Lancia at those prices it's an absolute no-brainer. When I (eventually) repatriate my Beta I'll be using that crossing.

What a fab trip. Is the 1300 much slower that the 1600 or 2000? I'm looking for a Beta and won't have enough for a Volumex so wondered what is the preferable engine option.

I had a 1600 Berlina and found the lack of torque frustrating maybe not so bad in lighter coupé, 2000 carb is less sweet and free revving I think overall 2000ie is nicest of the lot VX is different again very torquey whether it's better than an IE I'm not sure.

Car started up for the first time since December. 20 seconds of cranking to fire it up after a recharge and a good glug of fresh fuel with a priming bulb via the filter.

MOT Tuesday.

Just failed on the rear brake pads, which I guess I would have settled for before it went, plus malfunctioning rear offside light cluster which I'm putting down to the snowstorm on the way to the garage!. Should have checked the pads myself I guess.

Well, just finished 5 hours work out on the Beta. After a warm up on Bingley Bypass I changed the oil and filters which I got done in super quick time. For the third year running I used Comma Classic, probably a tad thick at 20/50, but nice and green like the old Duckhams that I used to like.

After lunch it was on to changing the fuel pump. I'd never been happy with this since a couple of years ago when changing the fuel lines the brass intake pipe came off. It tapped back into the body with a plastic hammer and didn't leak, but fuel always drains back past it in the winter lay off and it's a job that I have been putting off for a while. I had 2 spares, 'high' and 'low' profile. I assumed the former would not fit, as I only just got one on my pre-facelift car without fouling what seemed to be a much slimmer intake manifold. So, I was surprised when a 'high' profile pump emerged from the engine bay (you can only partially see the pump and what you are doing!)

This left a dilemma. I could fit my new high pump, but it would need dismantling to move the intake pipes through about 45 degrees, or, slap on the low pump, noting that the in/out pipes were transposed. I chose the latter and it didn't take long to fit considering that you can't see what you are doing and have to do up both bolts by 'feel'. But then I totally convinced myself that I had plumbed it in correctly and primed the carb before the new pump sucked all the petrol out of the float chamber! Worse still I did this twice before awarding myself 'dumb ass mechanic of the year so far' and swapped the pipes round!

Anyway, all running good now and ready for the long trip to Bristol on Friday after a test run in the Dales on Monday.

For UK weather the 20/50 probably is a tad heavy but as you are driving to potentially hotter climes maybe not a bad choice.

I've found that it provides reliably good oil pressure and seems to help with the odd leaks around the engine. It doesn't surge on cornering either, which was a bit of a problem with this car when I first bought it.

I am sorry but 20W 50 is the wrong grade for our engines because the 20W does not provide the cold start protection a 10W does and it is at cold start most engine wear and damage is done. I agree that 50 grade viscosity will improve hot oil pressure and in fact I use 10W 60 synthetic in my highly tuned nearly 300BHP 2000TC engine. Duckhams 20W 50 was developed for the Mini engine because the engine oil was shared with the gearbox and the oil technology was primitive frankly. I am ex oil company automotive lubricants division and endured 6 weeks of fuel and lubricant training. If I could buy a 0W 60 with the appropriate manufacturer approvals I would, but I actually run an Accusump pre-oiler (and well baffled sump) to see the oil pressure warning light out before starting the engine.

I am putting this correction here to make other think before running an oil that will result in engine damage over time. If you must leave 20W 50 in place then allow long warm up periods before driving off.

I also switched from 20W50 (motul classic) to 10W60 (shell racing). The only con I found is that it slightly leaks in places where cork gaskets (sump, and cam covers) are used. Retightening of bolts helped a bit.

We have had the oil debate before, when Alan scanned in the handbook page which includes 20W50 down to -10. As per my 'tad heavy' comment, this was never meant as a recommendation, just a commentary on what has worked in my, at best, mid life, slightly leaky, 79hp (maybe), summer use only car.